Lehrman American Studies Center

Phil: thanks for the suggestion. I will get the book this weekend. I have the same problem with my survey course. We truly have an exceptional history of openness/bigotry, moving forward/backward, opening new doors of opportunity/closing pathways to success. However, those 55 "old white guys" in Philadelphia had a unique vision that tore down the ancient doors of caste and created opportunities for personal advancement never before seen in history. U.S. history is filled with the expansion of the franchise rather than its restriction and freedoms for more and more—not fewer and fewer—groups of our citizenry.

I wonder, Phil, how European the American experience is, and what is uniquely our own? How do you balance these two perspectives in the classroom (or maybe you don't)?

Lee, I do explore this aspect of things. Colonial settlers, who were mainly from the continent, certainly brought with them European customs, beliefs and values; but in the American setting, a very different society emerged. It was like Europe in some ways, but very different in other respects. I often explain to students that the American character and civilization is really a complex mix between European heredity and the New World environment.

For instance, colonial settlers initially brought European agricultural methods to America; but with the abundance of land, the shortage of laborers, and different soils and climates to contend with, new agrarian patterns emerged. Although these patterns resembled continental practices in some ways, they overtime developed into something quite different.

My short, flippant yet theoretically profound answer: When asked about why there are so many hypocrites in Christianity, I recently heard a gentleman reply: "Church is not a mausoleum for saints; its a hospital for sinners."

The same applies politically for the U.S.

Bill,

I disagree. We don't have an "exceptional history of openness/bigotry ...."

We have an exceptional history of openness and a very typical history of bigotry. The bigotry in the U.S. is no different, I would argue, than can be found in many parts of the world. It is that we actually codified an ongoing corrective for that bigotry is what makes us exceptional.

Phil,

I'm going to take issue with one of your statements as well: "Colonial settlers, who were mainly from the continent, certainly brought with them European customs, beliefs and values."

Actually, you get what economists would call a separating equilibrium. The folks that came over to the British American colonies were people who had a more entrepreneurial impulse. Aristocrats didn't come over, for the most part, since they were already living a fairly comfortable life and it made no sense to risk this. The folks that did come over had a small amount of capital and an urge to move up the socioeconomic ladder. The folks who were left behind in England and Europe were basically lazy aristocrats (or people too poor to make it over -- and those folks are the ones that have helped keeped the European economy afloat).

My ancestors came over from Ireland and Poland around the early 1900s. When people ask me if the U.S. should look to Europe for a political and economic model, my jaw drops and I just stare blankly. My ancestors probably had a pretty good reason to leave Europe a century ago, so why would I want to look towards the morons who were left behind for a social model. As it has been said, "The New Europe: Reminding you why your relatives left the Old Europe."

I also have to remind folks that Europe probably could claim the title of The Continent of Death for the 20th Century.

And I'm pround to be called a Hustler and would say that we should create an academic journal with that name, but I think it has already been spoken for. Sigh.